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Monday, June 24, 2013

A Lakeland, Florida, police officer told a woman to lift her shirt, expose her stomach, and then pull her bra away from her body and shake it — all during a traffic stop.

The incident happened in Lakeland, Florida.

Officer Dustin Fetz pulled over Zoe Brugger and her boyfriend on May 21st because she was driving with a broken headlight, the Ledger of Lakeland reported.

Fetz told her to lift up her shirt, pull her bra away from her body and shake it out so he could see if she was hiding any drugs.

Believe it or not, according to the Lakeland Police Department, their officers have done this in the past to search for drugs. Imagine that!

The Florida State Attorney’s Office wrote a letter to Lisa Womack, Lakeland Police Chief, detailing the investigation.

The letter said that Zoe Brugger was pulled over because one of her front headlights was out.

After being asked to step out of the car, police searched the car, Brugger, and her passenger.

Brugger was sobbing as she followed orders. She said, "It was really, really humiliating."

She continued, "He said to pull out your bra and just shake it a little bit."

Apparently, the officer then asked her to do it again. "He said he was sure that I had drugs," she said.

Yes, believe it or not, he then ordered her to do it again and asked permission to search her car.
Brugger agreed, but changed her answer to "no" before he started, but Fetz searched the vehicle anyway. No drugs were found on her, on her boyfriend or in her car.

"[Fetz] made me go through the whole humiliating ordeal with shaking my bra out right there in the middle of this parking lot," Brugger said, according to WFLA.

"He told me that he was taking me to Bartow Jail for driving on a suspended license and that they had an x-ray machine there and they were definitely going to find what I had hidden inside me there."

Imagine this guy! Who the Hell does he think he is?

The incident happened in a parking lot of an apartment complex around 11pm. Brugger and the cops were in plain view of the public eye.

According to the Florida State Attorney’s Office, Officer Dustin Fetz had no reason to think Brugger had drugs on her. Remember, she was pulled over because of an inoperable headlight.

State Attorney Jerry Hill sent a letter to the LPD this week, calling Fetz's behavior "egregious" and "demeaning."

The letter added that Brugger did not believe Fetz's demands were sexually motivated, but that he was "on a power trip."

Hill noted there is evidence of other LPD officers using the bra-shake method in the past.

The letter called the search method “demeaning, ineffective and possibly dangerous.”

State Officials said this search method is not taught at the law enforcement training academy at Polk State College, where Fetz attended.

Despite this, the method appears to be an accepted practice among the police in that area.

Brugger said, "I really hope that nothing like this happens to any other women out there."

Investigator Mike Brown filed a report stating that Fetz's actions "went beyond the police actions that are permissible under law" and "violated the constitutional rights afforded to Zoe Brugger," according to WFLA.

Officer Dustin Fetz was placed on a four-day administrative leave due to the incident, but he is currently back on duty.

Yes, Fetz was placed on paid administrative leave for only four days - that's it, four days - while a supposed "investigation" took place. He return to work June 18th.

The Lakeland Police Department says they will review the department’s search procedures and decideif changes should be made.

"Highly questionable"? "Alleged"? What's "highly questionable" or "alleged" about it? It is on video with Fetz ordering her to do it so there isn't any "alleged" about it!

And as for Chief Lisa Womack saying its "highly questionable," we should all write the Chief to explain to her the difference between questionable and out-and-out wrong!

Its no wonder this jerkweed cop is on a power trip, his department sounds just as unprofessional as he is - and apparently supports his bullshit behavior.

So let's understand this correctly, no threat, no sign of drugs, no drugs found in her vehicle or on her boyfriend in the car with her, yet this asshole cop has the nerve to humiliate and violate this woman.

And what was his punishment? Go sit at home with pay!

They apparently support this bad cop ordering a woman to shake her bra during a totally unjustified search for drugs during a routine traffic stop.

Thankfully an acquaintance of Brugger's wrote a letter to the editor of the Ledger about the incident. That letter, which was published on June 2nd, prompted the investigation by the State Attorney's Office.

Brugger is still not sure if she will pursue legal action against the department.

I hope she files suit against Fetz, Womack, and the Lakeland Police Department.

I would think a lawsuit would get this bad cop Fetz off the department and change the way they are treating their citizens.

It's what we are asked to do.

For Your Convenience

MY ALMA MATER

FFL

For Your Convenience

Lay Some Happiness On Me -- Dean Martin

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